75 cents
Inside:
• See Sports on page B1•
W I N S TO N - S A L E M , N . C .
Volume 45, Number 33
THURSDAY, April 25, 2019
The Twin City Fashion Week was in full swing April 18-20 at the Millennium Center. The creative works of four emerging designers were on display Friday, April 19. Models worked the runway as they showed off fashions designed by Cassidy Burel, Sarah Woods, April Whiting and Jatice Williams. Twin City Fashion Week drew a large crowd despite the threat of severe weather.
Expungement clinic gives hundreds a clean slate It is no secret that having a criminal record can have a negative impact on one’s ability to become a productive citizen. That’s why last week several elected officials partnered with the Wake Forest Law Pro Bono Project and local attorneys to host an expungement clinic at the Forsyth County Hall of Justice. Led by Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court, the Honorable Susan Frye, and City Councilman James Taylor, the expungement clinic, which was free of charge, was designed to give residents in Forsyth County a clean record and some added confidence when they’re filling out that job application, applying for housing, or even post-secondary
education. The sheriff and clerk’s offices stayed late to make it all happen. According to the National Reentry Resource Center, 87 percent of employers conduct criminal background checks for some or all job applicants and the existence of a criminal record reduces job callback by 50 percent on average. In December 2017 North Carolina made major changes to the law covering expungements. The biggest changes reduced the waiting period to expunge a non-violent misdemeanor from 15 years to 5 years and nonviolent felonies from 15 years to 10. The fairly new legislation also eliminates the number of expungements one is entitled to if charges are dismissed, or one is found “not guilty.” Under the old law, only one expungement was allowed. It is estimated that up to 2 million residents in Submitted photo North Carolina will benefit A local resident completes paperwork to get an old conviction removed from his record. from the change in the expungement law. local law students helped with the clerk, who will ing the clinic, Taylor, who Chronicle, said oftentimes On the day of the clinic hundreds of residents com- complete the expungement is also publisher of The poverty and crime go hand here in Forsyth County, lo- plete and file paperwork process. When discussSee Clinic on A2 cal judges, attorneys, and
www.wschronicle.com
We Rent U-Haul Trucks!
Move in sPecial
$25
Professional self-storage.
for first month
(336) 924-7000
www.assuredstoragews.com Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 9am-3pm Gate Hours: 5am-10pm of Winston-Salem, LLC 4191 Bethania Station Road • Winston-Salem
6 89076 32439 7
BY TEVIN STINSON THE CHRONICLE